Zoologische Mededelingen, 85 (November 2011)N. Yonow: Results of the Rumphius Biohistorical Expedition to Ambon (1990)
Taxonomic Report
Family Discodorididae

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Phyllidia varicosa Lamarck, 1801
(pl. 7 fig. 6)
Phyllidia varicosa Lamarck, 1801: 66; Bergh, 1890: pl. 86 fig. 11; Lim & Chou, 1970: pl. 16B; Yonow et al., 2002: 863; Tonozuka, 2003: 118; Domínguez et al., 2007: 90, figs 1A, 2.
Phyllidia arabica Ehrenberg, 1831: pages unnumbered; Yonow, 1986: 1403, figs 10A-C (incl. detailed synonymy).
Phyllidia honloni Risbec, 1956: 22, figs 71-75, 79-81; Lim & Chou, 1970: pl. 17B; Lin, 1983: 152, pl. 1 fig. 6.
Material.— RMNH.MOL.130100, RBE Stn 5, Tg. Beteng, Leitimur, < 10 m depth, 10.xi.1990, leg. K. van Egmond & A. Fortuin, two specimens 47 × 20 mm and 60 × 28 mm pres., photos M. Lavaleye 6-9/10; RMNH.MOL.130154, RBE Stn 11, Nusaniwa, Leitimur, 3 m depth, 12.xi.1990, leg. A. Fortuin, 41 × 22 mm pres.; RMNH.MOL.130103, RBE Stn 18, E of Laha, Hitu, 19.xi.1990, approx. 60 × 33 mm pres.; RMNH.MOL.130155, RBE Stn 20, Hitu, littoral, 20.xi.1990, leg. M. Lavaleye, 53 × 26 mm pres.; RMNH.MOL.130152, RBE Stn 23, Kaitetu, Hitu, 1 m depth, 23.xi.1990, leg. A. Fransen, 36 × 20 mm pres.; RMNH.MOL.130156, RBE Stn 37, W Laha, Hitu, 1 m depth, 6.xii.1990, leg. A. Fortuin, two specimens 62 × 30 mm and 65 × 35 mm, both pres., photos M. Lavaleye 47-3/5; RMNH.MOL.130102, Bay of Tulamben, NE Bali, < 15 m depth, xi.1990, two specimens 18 × 11 mm & 5 × 3 mm pres., leg. and photos H. Debelius; RMNH.MOL.130099, Batu Hitam (3 km W of Said), Hitu, 2 m depth, 23.xi.1997, leg. H.L. Strack, 47 × 22 mm pres. (bent); RMNH.MOL.130171, Hatuhuran, Piru Bay, Ceram, 1 m depth, 28-30.xi.1997, two specimens 47 × 20 mm and 43 × 21 mm pres., leg. and photos H.L. Strack; RMNH.MOL.131665, Sawai, N coast Ceram, 1 m depth, 4-8.xii.1997, leg. H.L. Strack, 42 × 26 mm pres.
Non-Indonesian material.— NHMUK (no registration numbers), three large specimens from Funafuti, Tuvalu (west central Pacific); NHMUK 1914.xi.6.149, Porto Galero, Mindoro, Philippines, 55 × 20 mm pres., leg. E.L. Griffin, det. A. Pruvot-Fol, 1956; MNHN 1481.33486, Risbec, 1956, one specimen from Nhatrang, Viet-Nam, 58 × 40 mm pres.; WAM 2206-84, South Sandy Island, Scott Reef, Western Australia, ix.1986, leg. & photo C. Bryce; WAM 411-86, Ashmore Reef, Kimberley, Western Australia, leg. & photo C. Bryce; Mactan Island, Philippines, 1983, photos of 25 mm individual, B.E. Picton (BEP PH/42, specimen in Australian Museum, Sydney?); “central zone” GBR, xi.1986, photo of one individual A. Ghisotti, c/o R. Cattaneo-Vietti.

Remarks. — Phyllidia varicosa is a very common species in the tropical Indo-Pacific, and shows no significant variation throughout its range (unlike Phyllidia ocellata complex, see above). Note the black anal papilla in pl. 7 fig. 6, which was also visible in numerous specimens. The oral tentacles still bear black pigment on the tips in most preserved specimens.